Tacoma Freight

BNSF Railway freight train passing the Temco elevator in Tacoma, Washington.

While returning home from the 2011 "Tracks in the Snow" weekend, I enjoyed tours of Seattle and Tacoma rail facilities thanks to my guides, Steve Eshom and Robert Scott. We made our last photographs of the day at the Tacoma Export Marketing Company's elevator and dock along the south end of Tacoma's water front. Approaching in the foreground is BNSF's daily freight train from Pasco to Tacoma with a long cut of loaded lumber cars directly behind the locomotives. The elevator can hold three million bushels of grain, or about seven trains' worth. The adjacent sidings can hold three 110-car grain shuttle trains, which typically arrive from eastern Washington, Montana, and North Dakota. The bulk carrier Four Mogami in the background can carry nearly five trains' worth of grain.

Despite a lot of rain and no new snow in the mountains, I really enjoyed my first visit to Stevens Pass, and I look forward to returning soon. Thanks again to Steve and Robert for hosting me throughout the weekend, to Ross Fotheringham for organizing the event.